Estel's Childhood
by Raikana Sakaro
Summary: I got this idea while reading the appendices for LOTR. I might actually put a plot in later chapters. For those of you who don't know who Estel is, he's Aragorn.
1. Imladris

Title: Estel's Childhood  
Disclaimers: I do not own Lord of the Rings or anyone in it. You should all know whom it really belongs to. (Even if I'm not completely sure.)  
Note: For those of you who maybe haven't read the books, Estel is Aragorn/Strider's Elven name and the name does not belong to a fan character. I admit that I haven't read all of the books, but I'm going to do this with my usual obsessive fervor. If I am wrong about something, please correct me, but also show me where the correct information is. Enough blabbing. On with the story. By the way, I might actually put a plot in here somewhere. 

Estel's Childhood

Gilraen looked down at her arms, panting. Her brow was covered in sweat and her entire body ached, but she felt immense joy. In her arms was a small bundle of blankets. Through them, she could just see the face of her son, Aragorn.

The midwife bustled around her, making sure she was all right. Finally, when the time was deemed proper, the door was opened and Gilraen's husband walked in. He went to stand next to her, looking down into the face of his child.

'What is his name?' Arathorn finally asked.

'Aragorn,' she told him.

'Tis a good name,' he replied, still looking at his newborn son

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gilraen sat in her chair, watching Aragorn play on the floor. Arathorn walked in, a grave expression on his face. 'What is it, my love?" she asked him.

'I have received news from the north,' he told her. 'The Orcs are attacking. I am going to fight them with the sons of Elrond.'

'Very well,' she sighed. 'I shall be waiting here for your return.'

Arathorn bent down and kissed her gently on the cheek before leaving to prepare.

Many long days Gilraen waited for her husband to come back. Often, Aragorn would ask where his father was and she would tell her son that his father would be coming back. She feared the worst and her fears were soon proved true.

One day, she heard a knock at her chamber door and got up to open it. An Elven messenger stood outside, a serious look on his fair face. She could tell from his clothing that he came all the way from Rivendell, where Lord Elrond ruled.

'What news, good Elf?' she asked him.

'Bad news, my lady,' he told her. 'Arathorn, your husband, has been killed.'

She gasped, though she had been half-expecting it. His father had been against him marrying because it had been foreseen that he would die young. For that same reason his mother had wanted them to wed all the faster, saying that perhaps there would be hope if they got married sooner. 'How did it happen?' she asked after taking a moment to regain her composure.

The Elf stood there as if nothing had happened. 'He was shot through the eye with an Orc-arrow,' he responded.

Her resolve broke and she sobbed openly. She moved closer to the Elf and started sobbing into his chest. He looked down at her and raised his hand to pat her awkwardly, for an Elf that is, on the shoulder.

She finally stopped and pulled away from him. His clothes were stained with tears but he paid them no notice. 'The Lord Elrond invites you to come to Imladris, my lady,' he said to her.

'But how then shall I bring Aragorn?' she asked. 'He is still young, though he be the heir of Isildur.' 

'Lord Elrond knew this,' the Elf replied bowing his head. 'I have a carriage for you and your son to ride in.'

'Very well. I accept Lord Elrond's invitation. Please stay with me while I prepare.'

'Thank you, my lady,' the Elf said as he walked into her chambers.

Gilraen was ready to leave the next day. Aragorn was in the main room playing amongst their bags. She went to the room that Ceroán was staying in. He was lying on the bed, fully dressed, with his thin hands resting gently on his breast. His eyes were open and he seemed to be staring at the ceiling. She walked up to him quietly. She would never get used to the fact that Elves slept with their eyes open.  
She was about to wake him when he blinked and turned his head to look at her. 'Are you ready to go, my lady?' he asked.

'Yes,' she replied, walking out of the room. Ceroán soon followed her. He had bound his hair into a braid at the back of his head and still wore the clothes he had arrived in. He helped her carry the bags to the carriage and hooked the white horses to it before helping her and her son in.

They spent many weeks on the road, making their way to Imladris, or Rivendell in the Westron tongue. They traveled up the great Anduin River, past the Mirkwood forest, and over the Misty Mountains, finally coming to the great valley where Imladris was nestled. The Bruinen rushed beneath it as they approached. They crossed the bridge and came to the House of Elrond.

Many people walked in the halls of the great house as Ceroán led her to a room. Most of the people were Elves, but there were some other races there seeking Lord Elrond's counsel, for he was very wise. 

Gilraen heard beautiful music in an equally beautiful language as she passed the great hall, smelled wonderful things as she passed the kitchens. The sun was starting to sink behind the western edge of the vale, casting a rich golden light over everything.

The room she was shown to was spacious enough for her with a second room off it for Aragorn. She put the toddler into his bed before laying down in her own and falling into a deep sleep.

She was awakened the next morning by the sunlight streaming in the large windows. She heard Aragorn making contented noises from where he lay. She found a tray of food sitting on a small table. It had a goblet of wine, some pieces of fruit, and a couple of lembas.

It was mid-morning before someone came to fetch her, an Elven maiden this time. She was told that Lord Elrond requested her presence. The Elf waited by the door while Gilraen went to fetch Aragorn. The three of them walked to the Elven-king's office.

It was white, as were most of the other rooms. A large desk stood at the far end of the room in front of the hazy curtains that half-hid the balcony beyond. The person sitting behind the desk, though, was more magnificent than anything she had seen of Imladris. He had the fair skin, lithe build, and delicate ears of the other Fair Folk but the dark hair of Men.

Even if she hadn't already known who he was, she would probably have guessed that he was Lord Elrond, Half-Elven. She approached his chair meekly, with Aragorn perched on her hip. He bowed his head to her in greeting, his robes rustling as he did so.

'How are you today, fair lady?' he asked.

'I am well, your Excellency,' she answered, bowing as low as she could without dropping her child.

His warm chuckle filled the room. "Elrond, please,' he told her. His gaze turned to the bright eyed toddler she held. "And this must be Aragorn, son of Arathorn, heir of Isildur.'

'Yes, your-Elrond,' she said, interrupting herself. She saw another small smile grace his lips. 

'I have been watching you people for a long time, since the end of the Second Age, and I shall continue to watch for a while to come. I have seen what fate has in store for your son and I wish for you to both remain here, safe from anyone who might want to hurt you.'

'What of our people, sir?'

'I think it would be safer for you to remain here, in Imladris. Then the boy may grow to maturity without being in danger of his life.'  
'I thank you for your generosity, but I must consider this offer.'

'Then I leave you to consider, Lady. You only need to tell my servant when you wish to talk to me.' Elrond waved one of his thin, bejewelled hands and Gilraen took that as her signal to leave.

She was led back to her chambers by the same Elf-maid.

She spent many a day considering Lord Elrond's offer and turning it over in her mind. If she went back to the north, Aragorn might be recognized for what he was, heir to the Throne of Isildur. But that held risks, because there were surely some who would not want the Heir of Isildur alive. She finally made her decision and called Galánda, the servant Lord Elrond had appointed to wait on her.

Galánda went away for a few minutes, to see if Lord Elrond was currently occupied. She came back a few moments later and motioned for Gilraen to follow her.

Once again, Gilraen found herself standing in Lord Elrond's office, facing the Elven-king. Both he and the room were every bit as majestic as before, if not more so. He stared at her with his intent, dark eyes. She felt a little uncomfortable.

'I take it you have reached a decision, Lady?' he asked her.

'Yes, Lord,' she replied. 'I have thought long and hard about this and I have decided to accept your offer.'

'Good. I shall arrange for long-term accommodations for you and the boy. Farewell for now, Lady.'

Gilraen again took her leave of the Master of Imladris.

They met again over the next few days to work out the details of this arrangement, It was during these talks that they came to the agreement that Aragorn should be known as Estel, which means "hope" in Elvish. Also, Elrond's sons, Elladan and Elrohir would train him in the arts of fighting, hunting, and tracking.

So it was that Aragorn, son of Arathorn, Heir of Isildur, came to live in Imladris and received the name _Estel._

________________________________________________________________________

I hope you like this; I tried to keep as close to the books as possible, at least what I've read of them.

  
Also, later in this story, I will be trying to use Elvish, but I haven't found an Elvish dictionary fully based on Tolkien's works yet. If anyone knows where to find one, I would appreciate it. Otherwise, I will be using the Dictionary and Phrase Book from the Grey Company website. I think it's at www.grey-company.org, but I'm not sure.  



	2. The Fight

**Title:** Estel's Childhood

**Disclaimers: **I own _none_ of this. If I did, the books probably would have been very different.

**Note:** Okay, this is the one where I start trying to use Elvish. I will probably put the translations at the bottom, after the story.

Estel's Childhood 

      Estel sat in the school-house, surrounded by Elven children. The teacher was standing in the front of the room, teaching Elven history. Estel fought to keep his eyes open. I wasn't that Elven history was boring; it was just so _long_. He looked forward to going home. Then he could see his mother and, maybe, train with Elladan and Elrohir.

      Finally, the teacher told them that they could go home. Estel left the building and started for the great house where he dwelt with his mother and _Heru Elrond's_ guests. His plans were hindered, though, when he found himself surrounded by three Elven boys, about his age, maybe a little older.

      '_Ai edan,_' one of them sneered

      '_Il-amin_,' he replied in his defense. He had always been taught to avoid a fight, so he tried to hold his anger at bay.

      '_Lle n'vanima ar' lle atara lanneina_,' another one said.

      '_Lle holma ve' edan,'_ the third one informed him.

      A smile spread on the first boy's lips. '_Lle atara n'vanima!'_

      '_N'uma, il-re!'_ Estel responded hotly. Before he knew what he was doing, his hand lashed out and punched the other boy in the nose. The Elf-child staggered, holding his bleeding nose. '_N'uma edan nwalk-atara en amin!'_ he called as he walked away.

      On the way home, he started wishing he hadn't done that. Now he would be in trouble, at least with his mother, if not _Heru Elrond_. He wondered how fast news would travel. If he were lucky, he would be out training before word reached his mother, giving him a short respite. He only hoped _Heru Elrond_ did not hear of this. If so, he would probably die of hunger before the lecture was over.

      He entered the rooms he and his mother shared. He saw her sitting in a chair, waiting for him. '_Vedui', Estel_,' she said. '_Sut naa lle umien sina re?'_

      Estel just stood there. 'Do I get to train today?' he asked in the Westron tongue.

      'You are avoiding my question,' his mother scolded. 'Why do you do that?'

      'I just wanted to know whether I would be training with Elladan and Elrohir today,' he replied innocently.

      'Not if you have done something wrong, Estel. Now, why are you avoiding my question? Have you done something?'

      'No, mother, I have done nothing.' He hoped she would believe him.

      She just sighed and waved him away. 'They are waiting by the river. Just be back by supper time,' she called after him as he dashed through the door.

      As he went to join the Sons of Elrond, he hoped that he would not be stopped and brought back home. He saw the two Elves waiting by the bridge, where his mother said they would be.

      '_Vedui', Estel!_' Elladan called

      '_Lle desiel istim?'_ Elrohir added.

      'I have had enough learning,' Estel joked. 'It is time to fight.'

      'No, Estel, it is not time to fight. Fights are to be avoided whenever possible,' Elrohir said.

      Estel scowled. 'You knew what I meant,' he told the two Elves.

      They both smiled. 'That we did, Estel, but we cannot stress that point enough,' Elladan replied. 'Fighting is not to be taken lightly.'

      'Why are you speaking Westron today?' Elrohir inquired.

      'I just felt like it.'

      'I suppose,' Elladan said. 'Today we will teach you more about how to avoid detection…'

      Lord Elrond walked through the halls until he came to the place where Estel and Gilraen were staying. He raised one thin, white hand and knocked on the wooden door. It opened and he saw Gilraen standing on the other side. 'Yes, _Heru_?' she asked.

      '_Manke naa Estel?'_ he demanded in his own tongue.

      '_Yassen Elladan ar' Elrohir,'_ she told him. '_Mankoi?_'

      '_Cronho ai adanedhel.'_

_      'Mani? Iire?'_

_      'Sina adune.'_

      'Why that little—!' Gilraen exclaimed, reverting back to Westron.

      _'Lle n'nyarho?'_

      'N'uma!' 

________________________________________________________________________

Okay. That's what I have so far…

Now, for the translations. I will not do literal translations, partly because I don't know all of them, and partly because it wouldn't make much sense.

_Ai edan = _Little Human.

_Il-amin =_ Equivalent of children's "Am not!"

_Lle n'vanima ar' lle atara lanneina =_ You are ugly and your mother dresses you funny.

_Lle holma ve' edan =_ You smell like a human.

_Lle atara n'vanima =_ Your mother is ugly.

_N'uma, il-re = _No, she's not.

_N'uma edan nwalk-atara en amin = _No man is cruel to my mother. (Very rough translation, but it's the best I could do.)

_Vedui', Estel = _Greetings, Estel.

_Sut naa lle umien sina re = _How are you doing today?

_Lle desiel istim = _Are you ready to learn?

_Manke naa Estel = _Where is Estel?

_Yassen Elladan ar' Elrohir =_ With Elladan and Elrohir.

_Mankoi = _Why?

_Cronho ai adanedhel = _He attacked an Elf-boy. (Little male-elf. Another rough translation.)

_Mani? Iire = _What? When?

_Sina adune = _This afternoon.

_Lle n'nyarho =_ He didn't tell you?

_N'uma = _No.

And for those of you who hadn't guessed, _Heru = _Lord


	3. Running Away

**Title:** Estel's Childhood

**Disclaimers:** I own absolutely none of this. It all belongs to whoever owns the copyright.

**Note:** I don't really have a clear idea of how old Estel is in this story, but it's somewhere around 7-10 years of age. Also, if there's something that I can't translate into Elvish and still have it make any kind of sense, I'll put it betweens tildes. ~Like this. ~

Estel's Childhood 

      Estel walked into his room, his face still wet, and sat gingerly on the bed. He had been partially right. _Heru Elrond_ had lectured him extensively. Then, his mother had punished him in a more…human fashion. He gently rubbed his backside, trying to ease the pain. He looked out the window and saw dusk fading quickly into night.

      An idea had been brewing in his mind for a little while now. He looked around the deepening shadows of his room a couple times before making up his mind. He walked around, gathering up some of his clothes and other belongings; and stuffing them into a sack. He wished he had some _lembas_, but he didn't. That would require going to the kitchen and he wasn't supposed to leave his room. At least, he wasn't supposed to leave the front way. He was planning on going through his window.

      He stopped and listened carefully. Sometimes, he wished he had Elven hearing, but he was only an_ edan._ He didn't hear anything, so he shouldered his bag and climbed out of the window onto the branch of a tree. He was lucky the _Eldalie_ liked trees so much. He walked across the branches, jumping from one to the next. The lesson Elladan and Elrohir had given him today helped, too. If they had known, they probably would never have done it. 

      He was heading in a generally eastward direction. He wanted to see what it was like in the Misty Mountains. He had been walking, or jumping rather, for about thirty minutes when he started to have to jump to higher branches. That was a good thing, to him anyways. That meant he was on his way up the eastern slope of Imladris' valley.

      By the time he was halfway up the slope, it was deep night, almost dawn. He didn't stop, though, continuing to move through the trees. It was getting harder and he sometimes had to climb up the trunk to reach the next tree. He kept moving until almost mid-day. At that point, he couldn't go any farther and dropped onto a branch. He tried to sleep, but it was fitful at best. He was not accustomed to sleeping in trees.

      When he roused himself, he started moving again. He kept going until he could no longer see Imladris over the crest of the hill. Only then did he drop to the ground and hunt for something to eat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      The next morning, Gilraen looked into Estel's room. When she didn't see him, she started to panic. She walked through _Heru Elrond's_ house, looking for him there. The first place she checked was in the kitchens, to see if he had gone for breakfast without her. When he wasn't there, she checked other places, like the library and his school-house.

      When she still couldn't find him, she went to _Heru Elrond's_ office and knocked gently on the door. It was opened by _Heru Elrond_ himself. '_Uma?_' he asked.

      '_Estel naa wanwa.'_

_      'Lle tanak?'_

_      'Amin maae il'manke.'_

_      Heru Elrond_ sighed and rolled his eyes skyward. _'Ascarer! Lle sha yelthin sina!'_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      Estel looked around the woods. He did not usually scare easily, but this was somewhat daunting. He heard owls hooting and was frightened by them for some reason. There was a rustling in the brush beside him. It had barely registered before two dark figures jumped on him and bore him to the ground. He was bound hand and foot and slung over a shoulder. His mouth was the only part of him not tied.

      '_Tua amin!'_ he called. _'Tua amin!'_

________________________________________________________________________

Okay, I really have no clue what those creatures are. I don't really know enough about the evil creatures of Middle-Earth. I'm thinking wild Orcs, but I'm not sure if there is such a thing.

More translations.

_Uma =_ Yes?

_Estel naa wanwa =_ Estel is lost.

_Lle tanak = _Are you sure?

_Amin maae il'manke =_ I looked everywhere.

_Ascarer! Lle sha yelthin sina =_ Impetuous one! I almost loathe that child! (Said in frustration.)

_Tua amin = _Help me!


	4. The Caves

**Title: **Estel's Childhood

**Disclaimers:** I don't own LOTR and probably never will. I'm not making any money from this, blah, blah, blah…standard stuff.

**Note:** I have been doing some more reading and discovered that there are such things as wild Orcs; they are just called goblins instead. I've been re-reading the Hobbit and cross-checking against the timeline. Apparently, Estel was 10 during the events in the Hobbit. ::gets an idea:: Hmmm… ::tries to break away:: Please! Someone save me from bad ideas!

Estel's Childhood 

      Elladan and Elrohir stood before their father, staring into his eyes. _'Mani beth en Estel?'_ he asked.

      _'Ro magha men lye istime ho. Lye n'utu ho.'_

_      'Chebina maa. Ro n'rane n'neve.'_

      They bowed their heads and walked back out, weapons held ready.

      Estel lay on the rocky ground, staring up at the sky. This wasn't what he particularly wanted to do, but he had no other choice. He was still firmly bound and the Goblins had finally gagged him after growing tired of his cries. They had only tried to feed him once, but he started screaming the minute the gag had been taken off. It had been left on since then.

      He didn't know what they were doing with him and he wasn't sure he wanted to know. He heard them grunting between themselves in their own language. He had recognized them the first time he'd gotten to one of them clearly. They had been traveling almost nonstop since they had found him. The Misty Mountains loomed dark in front of them. They didn't look nearly as nice as they had from Imladris.

      Soon, he was picked up and slung over a shoulder. He was bounced around as the Goblins made their way up the mountain. They entered a dark cave and spoke in their own tongue again. A crack in the back wall widened until it was large enough for the Goblins to go through. The area beyond was even darker than the one they had just left. As they continued walking, he could see the walls gradually growing brighter. He figured that they must have been nearing the Goblins' home as they started passing torches hung on the walls.

      They took him and threw him, quite literally, into a small room with nothing in it. They talked between themselves before walking away, leaving two of their number to guard him. The room had no door because it was little more than a crack in the wall. The two goblins at the door were more than enough to bar his way.

He sat up on the cold stone floor and began to cry, feeling terribly lost and alone.

      Elrond walked into his room with his eyes closed. He looked forward to a nice, relaxing night as he started to undo his robes. Suddenly, he heard a throat being cleared. He spun quickly to see who else was in his private chambers. He saw the woman, Gilraen, standing by a shelf, her hands crossed over her waist.

      _~How did you get in here?~_ he demanded.

      _~I was let in. Is there any news of Estel?~_ Her face held a worried expression as she spoke those words.

      _~He is still missing.~_ Elrond sighed. _~Now, if you wouldn't mind, I would like to sleep. It has been a long day.~_

_      ~How so, my lord?~_

_      ~An old friend came by with his fourteen companions. They wished for me to read a Dwarven map for them. They are searching for treasure while we yet search for something more valuable.~_

_      ~I will leave now,~ _Gilraen said as she walked back out the door.

      Estel awoke to the sounds of panicked Goblins. He could hear them yelling and noticed that it was very dark out. What was more, he saw that his guards had been caught up in the commotion and were no longer at their post. He looked out into the darkness, but wasn't able to see much. He could tell that there were no Goblins right by the exit to his "cell" and slipped out the crack. Using the techniques he had learned, he slipped down the stone halls unnoticed. He checked in every branch he came to, looking for a way out. Whenever he came across one that looked interesting, he would walk down it to see if it led anywhere.

      He finally found one that led to a door. The door was partly open and he tried to judge whether he would fit in there. Maybe if he were a little thinner, he could slip through with no problem. As it was, he thought he could probably squeeze through, but it would be tight. One thing he hadn't lacked in the cell was food. The Goblins would always leave food in there for him to eat. There was also a guard by the door, but he looked as though he was asleep. He quickly and quietly moved to the door, slipping through it. He got wedged a little, but managed to squirm his way free.

      A little further down the slope of the mountain, he saw thirteen Dwarves and one human. At least, he looked human. He also looked rather old, dressed in gray and leaning on a walking-stick. They seemed to be arguing among themselves. He moved sideways and went around them, trying not to get noticed. As he walked, he saw a small person appear in the midst of the Dwarves. He had curly hair and was fairly large around the middle. He talked to them and they all seemed happy. 

      A rumble started above them and rocks and dirt started falling, sliding, and rolling down the hill. He got caught up in it and was taken for a very bumpy ride down the slope of the mountain to the edge of the forest. He tried to figure out where he was from what he remembered of _Heru Elrond's_ maps. He must have just gone through the Misty Mountains, so that meant that this forest had to be Mirkwood.

      A person looked down from his perch in a tree and saw the young _edan_ boy. Keen eyes followed the child as he walked deeper into the forest. The figure rose to a crouching position and followed behind the child silently, watching him carefully…

I'm sorry if this seemed rather bad. I don't think conflict is my best area. Probably why I'm working on it. No, I was not planning this, just in case you're curious. It's all one big bad coincidence. It also looks like I might be using less actual Elvish the deeper into the story I get. Hopefully, everyone will be able to guess who the mysterious watcher is. If not, wait for the next installment to come out. I don't think this story will actually last much longer.

Translations:

_Mani beth en Estel =_ What word of Estel?

_Ro magha men lye istime ho. Lye n'utu ho =_ He is using the way we taught him. We cannot find him.

_Chebina maa. Ro n'rane n'neve =_ Keep looking. He couldn't have wandered far.


	5. Mirkwood and the Watcher

**Title:** Estel's Childhood

**Disclaimers: **Do you really need to read this? You already know that none of this is mine.

**Note:** Okay, I have just finished reading the Hobbit, so I should have a clearer idea of the general events of that time, but I will try not to follow the people in the book. It was all just a coincidence. I promise. I'll probably be using less and less actual Elvish as the conversations I do get more and more complicated.

Estel's Childhood 

      Elrond paced his office in an unusual show of agitation. He had sent scouts out, but Estel was still not to be found. Both he and the child's mother were growing concerned. It had already been more than a month since he had disappeared, almost two. What if something had happened to the child who was destined to be king? The worst part was that they didn't even know which direction he had headed since he was so careful about hiding his tracks. He heard the door open and turned around. One of the scouts, Glorfindel, was standing in the doorway. Glorfindel bowed his head. 

      _~Report!~_ Elrond snapped. 

      _~We have found the child's tracks.~_ Glorfindel said._ ~He is going in a direction we had never expected.~_

      _~Where?~_

_      ~Over the mountains.~_

      Elrond rubbed his forehead. What would have possessed the boy to go over the Misty Mountains? _~Track him and bring him back here.~_

_      ~Yes, my lord.~_ Glorfindel replied before walking back out of his office.

      Estel continued walking through the woods, looking for a way out. He now regretted ever leaving Imladris. He peered into the forest around him, but could make out nothing. All he could see was pitch black. He had this terrible feeling that he was being watched. He would turn around from time to time to peer behind himself, but could see nothing. He wished there was more light in this forest. He thought he heard a twig snap and turned around yet again to find darkness and gloom staring him in the face. He tried to be brave, but he was hungry and very scared. He was used to the bright valley and green grass of Imladris, not this dreary place.

      He saw a glimmer of light up ahead and went towards it. He looked into a clearing and almost cried out in surprise. There were Elves, and lots of them! He stayed by the edge of the clearing. He had heard of these Elves; Wood-elves they were called. They were sitting and drinking and eating and generally being happy. Across the glade, he saw a small man approach. He recognized him as the one from the side of the mountain. He shook his head as the other man walked into the midst of the Elves. The lights from their fires soon went out as they left.

      Meanwhile, up in the trees, the watcher had to scramble out of the way to avoid the fleeing Elves, his kindred. He was trying to avoid them right now, preferring to be alone at the moment. He was also curious about this _edan_ boy who moved almost like an Elf. A few times, the boy had turned around and the watcher had been afraid he'd been found, but the boy's eyes must not be good enough to see him through the darkness of the forest. He wasn't sure if it was luck or skill, but the boy had managed to avoid all the dangers this forest offered so far.

      He watched the boy walk away from the clearing and headed forward again, if what he was doing could be called going forward. He had basically been traveling in circles for the past few days, large circles so that he didn't know they were circles, but circles nonetheless. He continued to follow the boy, noticing that he seemed very frightened. He assumed the child was looking for a way out, but not finding one.

      Finally, one day, the child broke out of his circle and continued to travel in a different direction. The watcher walked and leapt among the trees as he followed the boy. On the fourth day after the child started wandering in a different direction, the Elf's ears picked up a sound. He heard branches breaking and heard talking. Giant Spiders were coming their way. He did not think the child could defend himself, so he took out his bow and strung it. He followed the child some more, waiting for the Spiders to come. Finally, the child heard them and stopped where he was. He reached into the small bag on his back and drew out a tiny blade, little more than a toy. One thing he did notice was that it seemed to be Elven made. He wondered where an _edan_ boy would have gotten an Elvish knife.

      The boy stood in the middle of a small clearing and tried to look brave and strong, holding his tiny blade aloft. The Elf up in the trees took an arrow out of his quiver and fitted it to the bow-string. He doubted that the boy would be able to fend off the spiders and prepared himself. Soon, three Spiders came crashing through the foliage at the edge of the clearing. They seemed almost panicked, as if running from something. They saw the boy and instantly regained their courage.

      'This one might do instead,' one of the Spiders said in its whispery voice.

      'But it is much too small for all of us,' another pointed out.

      'But it is better than nothing, at least,' the third one said. 'Let's capture it.'

      They moved around the boy, ready to ensnare him with their silk threads. One of them reared up on its hind legs, giving the Elf a clear shot. He let go of the arrow and reached into his quiver for another even as the first one struck its target. The Spider fell over and twitched for a few moments before dying. The Elf put another arrow to the string and pulled backwards, waiting for another spider to expose its belly. His chance came soon enough and he shot killing another spider. He already had another arrow out and drawn back before he heard the _thump_ as the arrow lodged itself in the Spider's flesh. The last one made the mistake of raising up on its legs to look for its hidden attacker. That was its last mistake as the Elf's third arrow hit it.

      Now that the danger of the moment had passed, the child, too, looked around to spot his hidden savior. The Elf realized that he could not stay hidden any longer and moved forward, dropping into the clearing in front of the boy.

      _'Ya naa lle?'_ the boy asked upon seeing him.

      He was surprised that the boy spoke Elvish. Fluently, too. He did have a strange accent though. _'Lle quena i'lambe tel' Eldalie?'_

_      'Uma. Ya naa lle?'_ he asked again.

      _'Amin naa Legolas. Manke naa lle tuulo?'_

_      'Imladris. Amin naa Estel.'_

_      'Estel?'_ Legolas thought his name was rather strange. Why would an _edan_'s name be the Elvish word for hope? But then again, everything about this boy seemed very Elven. He moved like an Elf, he had an Elven knife, and an Elven name. He also said that he was from Imladris, the home of Elrond.

      _'Uma.'_ Estel nodded. _'Amin naa Estel.'_

_      'Khila amin,'_ Legolas said and started walking away.

      Estel had little choice but to obey and followed the gleam of Legolas' golden hair. He continued following his newfound companion until he collapsed on the ground. Legolas turned back and knelt next to him, handing him some _lembas_ and water. They camped there for the night, if you could even tell night from day in that forest. When he awoke, he found Legolas standing over him.

      _'Lle tyaya quell?'_ the Elf asked, feeling his head.

      '_Uma.'_ Estel sat up and slung his pack of his back, ready to follow Legolas again. They continued on like this for a few more days before finally reaching the hall of the Elven-king, Thranduil.

      '_Lle naa naveller?'_

_      'Uma. Ta naa amin kard.'_

Estel's eyes widened._ 'Lle naa taren?'_

Legolas nodded indifferently. _'Uma.'_

Okay. Now you know who the mysterious watched is, if you hadn't already guessed. Already got another story going in my head. I'll probably start work on it once I'm done with this one, if not sooner. I'm sure it's been done before, but I'm going to do it again.

Translations:

_Ya naa lle =_ Who are you?

_Lle quena i'lambe tel' Eldalie =_ Do you speak Elvish? (Not sure if the "do" is actually in there or just implied. Meant in a sense of "You speak Elvish?")

_Uma. Ya naa lle = _Yes. Who are you?

_Amin naa Legolas. Manke naa lle tuulo =_ I am Legolas. Where are you from?

_Imladris. Amin naa Estel =_ Imladris. I am Estel.

_Khila amin =_ Follow me.

_Lle tyaya quell =_ Do you feel well?

_Lle naa naveller =_ You are allowed there?

_Uma. Ta naa amin kard = _Yes. It is my house.

_Lle naa taren = _You are a prince?


	6. Back Home Again

**Title:** Estel's Childhood

**Disclaimers:** You already know none of this is mine and you wouldn't get this far if you didn't like the story, so go read it. You know you want to.

**Note:** As I've said before, the story will soon be drawing to a close because I'm not used to writing really long stories. It used to be that I was lucky if there was more than one chapter. I've also been meaning to put this in a story for a while. I'd like to thank the people who actually made and maintain fanfiction.net, I'm very grateful. Maybe someday, when I actually have money, I'll do that donation-thing for them.

Estel's Childhood 

      Estel sat on a bed and looked out the window. It was a little brighter here in the Elven-king's house. Legolas had brought him here a few weeks ago to recover from his journey in general. He had set out from Imladris very ill-prepared. The Wood-Elves had been very kind to him and treated his injuries. He had also been given food and warm clothes for the winter weather. The door opened and he saw Legolas walk in. Normally, he was very happy to see his new friend, but today he just sighed. The prince came and sat next to him, his long hair falling about his shoulders.

      _~What is wrong?~_ he asked.

      ~_I miss Imladris_~ Estel replied. ~_I miss my mother and even Heru Elrond. I want to see the Bruinen again, and climb the trees in the valley.~_

Legolas placed a hand on Estel's shoulder._ ~I know what it is like to be away from your home. Perhaps I can arrange passage for you back to Imladris.~_

_      ~Will you come with me?~_ Estel asked. His eyes shone as he thought about traveling with Legolas. The Elf laughed.

      _~Perhaps, young Estel, but don't worry about it for now.~_

Glorfindel's eyes scanned the ground, trying to pick out Estel's small footprints. It was difficult because the _edan_ boy was still you and it had been a while since he had passed this way. There were many other Elves out scanning the area. He saw a slight trail and moved forward. A few miles further on, the footprints grew smudged and there were other ones mixed in with the boy's, larger ones. He also saw the larger footprints leading away from the site towards the Misty Mountains. He looked carefully at the prints and recognized them as Goblin-prints, _No!_ he thought. _This couldn't have happened._

He looked around and saw another scout not more than three miles away. _~Elmaén!~_ he called. _~Come here!~_

      Soon, Elmaén stood beside him. ~_Yes?~_

      _~What do you make of this?~_ Glorfindel asked, pointing at the scuffle of footprints.

      _~It looks like there was a struggle.~_ The scout studied them closer. _~With…two Goblins and…Estel?~_ Elmaén's eyes opened wide.

      _~That is what I thought. Send someone to tell Heru Elrond.~_ Glorfindel shook his head. _~He will not be happy…~ _he muttered. He called a couple other scouts to come with him and followed the trail of the Goblins.

      Legolas strapped his quiver onto his back and stuck his daggers into their scabbards on his waist. He walked to the room that housed the _edan_ boy, Estel and pushed the door open. The bed was made and the room had been cleaned up. He looked around, but did not see the boy or his small bag. He ran to the window and looked out. Not too far away, he saw the boy struggling through the trees. He sighed and climbed out the window. He moved along the trees until he caught up with the boy.

_      ~What were you doing?~_ he asked, exasperated.

      _~Going home.~_ Estel replied with all the innocence of a child.

      Legolas put his face in his hands and shook his head. Finally, he said, _~Have you learned nothing?~_

_      ~About what?~_

_      ~Traveling alone. You are too young to travel the wilderness by yourself.~_

_      ~Am not!~_ the boy replied stubbornly. _~I can do anything I want!~_

      Legolas just sighed and, though he didn't know it, learned an essential rule of parenting. _Never_ argue with children. _~Come on. I'm going to take you home.~_

      Estel's face lit up and his gray-blue eyes shone. _~You decided to come?~_

_      ~Yes. Otherwise, I wouldn't be out here ready to travel, mostly.~_ He would have liked to get some more food before leaving, but they could make do with what they had.

      Estel looked at his friend and just noticed that he'd brought his weapons and a small pack. He started walking again with Legolas close behind him. He turned his head to look at his friend as they walked. _~You'll like Imladris.~_

_      ~I know I will.~_ Legolas replied.

      _~How do you know?~_

_      ~I have been there before. It is very beautiful.~_

      They kept walking until nightfall, though Estel still couldn't tell the difference between day and night in this forest. When they set up camp, Legolas took to studying the boy. _~What are you looking at?~_ Estel asked.

      _~I was just wondering about you…~ _

_      ~What about me? I can probably answer your questions.~_

_      ~Why are you called Estel?~_

_      ~Umm…I don't really know. My mother never told me. Neither has Heru Elrond.~ _

_      ~Why do you speak Elvish? You are a human.~_

Estel frowned and looked at himself._ ~I know I'm human. I wish I wasn't, though. I want to be just like Elladan and Elrohir.~_

_      ~You know the Sons of Elrond?~_

_      ~Yes. They have taught me how to hunt and fight and stuff like that.~  
      ~Interesting.~_

_      ~And Lord Elrond has been teaching me some things, too, but I mostly learn from school. Some of the other kids don't like me, though.~ _He pouted.

      _~How do you know that?~_

_      ~They tease me. They've teased me lots of times.~_ Estel hugged his knees and started rocking back and forth._ ~I didn't mean to hurt anyone. I tried to be good and ignore them, but they called my mother ugly.~_ Legolas just watched the boy as he spoke. _~And then, everyone was mad at me. Even my mother and Lord Elrond. I don't think they wanted me anymore.~_

_      ~So you ran away?~_

_      ~I was just going to leave for a few days. I wanted to go see the Misty Mountains. I didn't want to come this far.~_

_      ~So what happened?~_

_      ~I was taken by Goblins and I escaped when they got really confused. Then I saw some Dwarves outside with a man and another man, a little man, appeared from nowhere. Then I got lost in the forest. I just want to go home…~_ Estel finally broke down. After at least a month of being really brave and not letting his emotions show, he broke down. He sobbed openly. Legolas watched him, unsure of what to do. Eventually, Estel cried himself to sleep. Legolas noticed that when he was sleeping, Estel looked much younger than he pretended to be. He finally saw the troubled little boy who just wanted to see his family and friends again.

      Legolas and Estel traveled for most of the next week or so. Not much had happened while they were traveling. Legolas stopped and tilted his head. Estel stopped beside the Elf. He looked in front of him. They were nearing the edge of the forest, which made it a little easier to see. He studied the area intently for a few minutes before turning to look at Legolas again. _'Mani naa ta?'_

_      'Shhh…Yrchs.'_ Legolas whispered. He took hold of the boy's wrist and pulled him up into the trees. The boy couldn't climb high enough, so Legolas let Estel climb onto his back instead. They climbed as high as they could go and stayed there, perfectly still and silent. Below, they could see Mountain-Orcs, or Goblins, riding through the forest on the backs of wolves. Legolas wondered where they were going for a moment, but also realized that it would be safe to travel the mountains if the Goblins were not there. When they had all passed, Legolas waited for a few more minutes before climbing back down the tree.

      _~Where were they going?~ _Estel whispered in his ear.

      _~I don't know,~_ he replied, _~But we should be able to travel the mountains safely, now.~_

_      ~No more Goblins in there?`_

_      ~If so then not many.~_

_      ~Then let's go!~_ Estel said, tugging on Legolas' arm. Legolas smiled, but said nothing as he followed Estel.

      One day, when they were very near the Misty Mountains, Legolas and Estel came across a Goblin sentry group. The Goblins spotted them before they could hide, though. Orc-arrows flew and Legolas strung his bow _'Nurta!'_ he called to Estel.

      The boy obeyed immediately, running into the trees. Legolas pulled an arrow from his quiver and aimed it at an Orc. The first one flew straight and true; and pierced the Orc through its heart. The others made more difficult targets, though, because they were moving. Two of his arrows missed before he shot the next one. As he reached back to grab another arrow, he found that his supply was running short. He was only able to shoot one more Goblin before throwing his bow on the ground and pulling out his daggers. He had to step swiftly and nimbly to avoid the flying missiles. Sometimes, he would bat one away with his knives, but he spent most of his concentration on avoiding the arrows while moving closer to the Goblins.

      Finally, the Goblins ran out of arrows, too, and pulled their own swords. Legolas looked at his daggers and back up at the two remaining Goblins with their scimitars. He didn't like the odds, but he liked them better than one untrained _edan_ child with a toy knife against two Goblins with scimitars. He was forced to make full use of his Elven swiftness as he ducked, jumped, and spun to avoid the blows sent his way. He saw a momentary break in the attack and pressed forward, stabbing an Orc through the neck, one of the few unprotected parts of its body.

      That left one Goblin for him to deal with. The odds were starting to improve in his favor. The last one aimed a broad slash at his midsection, but he jumped back out of the way before jumping forward again and stabbing through the gap in the armor where arm met body. He sliced most of the way through the arm, which left it hanging on by just a few layers of tissue. He had planned it so that he attacked the Orc's sword arm, disabling him so that he would be easier to kill. He took careful aim and sliced the Orc's head off, letting it roll away as he went to retrieve his bow and arrows. One he had his arrows back in his quiver and his bow on his back, he went to go find Estel. He found the boy behind a tree, trembling, his face pale. In front of some nearby bushes, he saw a small pool of vomit. He put his arm around the boy's shoulders. _~I am sorry you had to see that, Estel. Are you well?~_

_      ~Yes,~_ the boy replied weakly_. ~I'll be fine in a little while.~_

Legolas reached into a pouch at his waist, pulled out a small herb, and ground it between two rocks he kept with him. He handed the pulp to the boy. _~Eat this. It will make you feel better.~_

_      ~Thank you, Legolas,~_ the boy said as he swallowed the crushed plant. Estel grimaced as he tasted them, but swallowed them anyways.

      The two made their way closer to the mountains over the next few days, resting from time to time. They soon started up the mountains. As they walked up the rocky paths, Legolas clutched Estel's hand tight to ensure the boy didn't fall. Before they had even reached the summit, they came across the search party that had gone up looking for Estel.

      Glorfindel smiled as he saw Estel safe and sound. He did not recognize the other Elf with _Heru Elrond's_ foster-child, but he was glad to know that the boy was alive. He was sure _Heru Elrond_ would be, too. _'Vedui', Estel!'_ he called. He saw both the Elf and Estel turn to look at him.

      _'Vedui', Glorfindel!'_ the boy called back. Glorfindel hurried forward, sure-footed on the treacherous path. He soon reached the two. He took Estel's hand away from the strange Elf. _~You may go home now, Wood-Elf,_~ he said._ ~I will take care of the boy, now.~_

      _~I will accompany him home, as I said I would.~_

_      ~I said that you could go.~_

_      ~Glorfindel,~_ the child interrupted. _~He's my friend. I want him to see Imladris again.~_ Estel grabbed Legolas' hand_ ~Come on, Legolas. Come with us.~_

_      ~Legolas?~_ Glorfindel asked, frowning slightly.

      ~_Yes, I am Legolas.~_

      Glorfindel bowed his head. _~You may come if you wish, prince,~_ he said with exaggerated politeness. Legolas glared at Glorfindel, but followed the search party and Estel back to Imladris.

Okay. Another chapter done. Only one more…I think. If everything goes well. If not, who knows what might happen? I'm currently working on a couple other stories; big stories. And some not so big stories. You should all know how to find them if you want to read them.

Translations:

_Mani naa ta =_ What is it?

_Shhh…Yrchs = _Shhh…Orcs.

_Nurta = _Hide!

_Vedui' = _Greetings


	7. At Imladris Again

**Title:** Estel's Childhood

**Disclaimers:** Haven't you been reading this long enough to know that absolutely _none_ of this is mine?

**Note:** This is my last chapter for this story, but I'm working on a story where I bring the peoples of Middle-Earth here. By peoples, I mean races, except for some of the Elves… It was meant to be a serious story, but it may turn out to be humor, not exactly sure…

Estel's Childhood 

      Elrond stood by the bridge, waiting for the search party to come back. A messenger had just arrived the day before, saying that they had found Estel. Gilraen was standing next to him, a hopeful expression on her face. He sighed contentedly as he looked around the peaceful valley and smelled the crisp air of winter turning to spring. He had just finished meeting with some of the wisest people in all of Middle-Earth. They had been deciding what to do about the rising threat that Sauron was presenting. He was glad to be back in his house, away from all the stress. It was probably adding more wrinkles to his face than he needed. He peered up the slope of the valley and saw the group of Elves. Glorfindel was waving at him. Forgetting his dignity for a moment, he raised his hand and waved back.

      In a short while, the group stood right in front of them. Estel pulled forward on the hands of Legolas and Glorfindel. They released him and he ran to his mother. Elrond blinked and did a double-take. Legolas? What was he doing here? He bowed his head to the prince. _~Greetings, Prince Legolas.~_

_      ~The same to you, Lord Elrond.~_ Legolas replied, bowing to the owner of the house. He turned to look at his newfound friend. Estel was in the arms of a woman, presumably his mother. He was babbling to her excitedly in Elvish. 

_      ~Won't you stay here for tonight, Legolas?~_ Elrond's voice interrupted his thoughts.

      _~Thank you, Lord Elrond, I accept your hospitality.~_ Legolas followed as Elrond led them back into the large house. He was shown to a medium-sized room done in white. He dressed up as best he could for dinner that night, but all he had with him were his traveling clothes. 

      The next morning, he said farewell to Estel and walked back out of the valley on his way back home. Estel stood in a tree near the edge of Imladris to watch Legolas for as long as he could. As the Elf disappeared from his sight, he got the strange feeling that this would not be the last time he saw Legolas.

      Estel spent the next few months uneventfully. In the middle of spring though, someone showed up; a Hobbit by the name of Baggins. Even though he was supposed to leave _Heru Elrond's_ guests alone, Estel still managed to sneak a couple looks at the Hobbit. He was a source of great curiosity for the child. They didn't see many Hobbits in Imladris. The very first time he saw Baggins, he had to blink to make sure he wasn't seeing things. He'd seen that same man twice before! First, when he came out of the Misty Mountains, and then in Mirkwood, when he first saw the Elves. He wondered if this Hobbit had been following him the entire way. Or, maybe, fate was just messing with his mind. He found out that the Hobbit's first name was Bilbo from listening to the Elves talk. Bilbo stayed through the spring and into the summer. Estel got to see him many more times, but never actually met him. Another man had come with Bilbo, one whose name Estel did recognize: Gandalf the Grey. As he watched them leave, he got another feeling that this would not be the last time he'd see them. He wondered how many more people he would meet before his life was through, how many adventures he would have. A small voice inside him said, _You don't want to know, Estel. You just don't want to know…_

 I hope that was a satisfactory ending… Never was terribly good at the endings to stories, I always think mine sound somewhat weak.


End file.
